"John DeChancie - Skyway 1 - Starrigger" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dechancie John)

father, could I?тАЭ
Red didnтАЩt comment, just looked at his cigar. Something thin with watery blue eyes was tapping me
on the shoulder. One of WilkesтАЩ gunsels.
тАЬMr. Wilkes would like to see you, if you please, sir.тАЭ Red coughed once and looked at his watch.
тАЬJake, IтАЩd stay, but we gotta roll. I donтАЩt think heтАЩll give you any trouble here.тАЭ
тАЬSure, Red. Sure. See you around.тАЭ
WilkesтАЩ table was over against the far wall. Besides him, and the Rikkitikki, there were three
gunsels, including the one whoтАЩd fetched me. I didnтАЩt like the odds, but it was unlikely that Wilkes
would start anything in a crowded restaurant- or so I thought. I tend to think too much. He was playing
with the last few crumbs of an omelette, smiling at me, those curious gray teeth sliding around behind
thin lipsтАФhe had a way of working his mouth constantly, a tic, I believed. He wasnтАЩt an unattractive
man. Long blond hair, broad features, eyes of cold green fire, all mounted on a powerful frame. A natty
dresser, as well. His kelly-green velvet jerkin was tailored and was in fact very tasteful, going especially
well with the white puffed-sleeve blouse. тАЬJacob, Jacob, Jacob,тАЭ he sang wistfully, still smiling. тАЬGood
to see you, Jake. Have a seat. Get him a seat, Brucie.тАЭ
тАЬNo, thanks, Corey,тАЭ I told him. Brucie had made no move. тАЬIтАЩll stand. WhatтАЩs on your mind?тАЭ
тАЬWhy, nothing.тАЭ Surprised innocence. He was good at it, but he overplayed it a bit. Was he nervous?
тАЬNothing at all. Just enjoying a good meal in a good restaurantтАФa little disappointed when you and your
lady friend didnтАЩt join us, thatтАЩs all. You really should observe more of the social amenities, Jake. Oh, I
realize your diamond-in-the-rough sort of charm goes a long way, especially with women, but when you
see a friend across the room when youтАЩre dining outтАФwell...тАЭ He was gracious in dismissing the matter.
тАЬBut I donтАЩt take offense easily. YouтАЩre probably in a hurry, right? Behind schedule?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt like looking at vomit when I eat, thatтАЩs all.тАЭ
 It didnтАЩt ruffle him. He grinned through the rather indelicate hiatus in the conversation, then said,
implacably, тАЬYou have a certain directness of expression that I admire, Jake, but that remark was a bit
too blunt. DonтАЩt you think? But... then, I should know better than to try and stroke you.тАЭ тАЬWas that what
you were doing?тАЭ
тАЬOh, twitting you a little, IтАЩll be honest. But I really do want to talk, Jake. I think we should, finally.тАЭ
тАЬWhy, whatever about?тАЭ It was my turn to be catty.
тАЬShoes and ships, Jacob.тАЭ He waved to the far reaches of the universe. тАЬThings. Things in general.тАЭ
тАЬUh huh. But out of the totality of existence, there must be something specific.тАЭ тАЬAbsolutely right.тАЭ
The constant smile turned extraordinarily benevolent. тАЬSure you wonтАЩt sit, Jake?тАЭ
тАЬForget it.тАЭ
тАЬFine.тАЭ He lit a small, thin cigarette wrapped in paper of bright pink, blew smoke toward me. The
aroma was sweet, perfume like. тАЬWhat say we merge our respective outfits? ThatтАЩs right. DonтАЩt drop
your jaw too low, Jake, the busboys will use it as a dustpan. Starriggers Guild and Transcolonial
Association of Truck Owner-Operators. Together. Hyphenate тАШem, or come up with a new name, I donтАЩt
care. Why continue the war any longer? ItтАЩs unprofitable, destructively competitive... and frankly, IтАЩm
rather tired of it.тАЭ The smile was gone, replaced by Honest Concern. тАЬA marriage is what IтАЩm
proposing.тАЭ тАЬWhy, Corey. This is so sudden.тАЭ His face split again. тАЬYou know, youтАЩre not as rough
around the edges as you let on, Jacob. Whenever we get together, I kind of enjoy the repartee. The parry,
the riposte, the barbs lovingly honedтАФтАЬ He blinked. тАЬBut IтАЩm serious.тАЭ
I stood there, debating whether I should just spit and walk away, or go through the motions with him.
I couldnтАЩt figure out why he was doing this.
тАЬExcuse me, Misterrr Jake,тАЭ the Reticulan trilled through his mandibles. тАЬI wonderrr if I could
inquirrre as to the identity of the female perrrson with whom you are associating?тАЭ тАЬWhatтАЩs it to you,
Ant Face?тАЭ
I find it difficult, if not impossible, to read an alien visage for emotions. Apparently the insult had
had no effect, but I couldnтАЩt be sure. I had never before dealt with Rikkis. The mandibles kept clicking
in and out in that unnerving sewing-machine motion. Reticulans donтАЩt really look like ants, donтАЩt even